Data security for digital data storage

Abstract

A computing system includes data encryption in the data path between a data source and data storage devices. The data encryption may utilize a key which is derived at least in part from an identification code stored in a non-volatile memory. The key may also be derived at least in part from user input to the computer.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION1. Field of the InventionThe invention relates to methods and apparatus for providing security for digital data stored on data storage media such as magnetic and optical disks and tapes.2. Description of the Related ArtOver the past several years, personal computing systems have become more powerful, smaller, and less expensive. As this has occurred, more and more computing applications are performed on personal computer platforms. Local and wide area networks of personal computers are now often used in corporate and business applications instead of the large mainframes used for the same applications in the past. A further result of the increases in performance and decreases in price of personal computers is a dramatic increase in personal computer use for household financial and other sensitive and preferably confidential information.The use of personal computers in these applications raises data security and privacy issues which have thus far been insuff...

AI Technical Summary

Problems solved by technology

The use of personal computers in these applications raises data security and privacy issues which have thus far been insufficiently resolved.

Laptop and other personal computers, as well as the removable data storage media used in them are transported, mislaid, lost, and sometimes stolen.

For home users, concerns arise if credit card, social security, or bank account numbers are present on fixed or removable media which may be lost or stolen.

This provides limited security, however, since these schemes are easy to defeat with widely available password extraction programs.

Although the security provided by this system is adequate for many applications, the circuitry used to implement the system is complex, and administration of the system for producing and assigning keys and smart cards is time consuming and expensive.

This requires additional logic to encrypt the keys as well as the data, and consequently, this system requires relatively complex circuitry, and leaves the key potentially recoverable from the tape itself if the key encryption scheme is broken.

Thus, existing encryption systems for personal and portable computers have serious drawbacks, and have not been widely implemented.

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